The AI Bondu Toy: Learning Companion, Emotional Scaffolding, Imagination & Bedtime Calm

For this article, I wanted to write from the perspective of a parent and caregiver, reflecting on what AI designs are emerging for families with young children and how this technology is beginning to support their needs.

I didn’t expect to be this impressed by an AI toy. Indeed, I was initially rather sceptical about its reliability and secretly timed how many seconds it would take before my 7-year-old got bored and it became a very expensive dust magnet. However, my “let’s give everything a go” mindset got the better of me, and before I knew it, I’d spent $200 on a plush, purple dinosaur for my daughter.

Let’s face it, we’ve all been there.

I have to admit that I was thoroughly impressed. Not only was this purple dinosaur a good size for cuddling, but the real beauty lies in how naturally it supports children with diverse and evolving neurodivergent needs. In our home, Bondu (or ‘Dino’, as my daughter has affectionately named hers) has become part emotional coach, part study buddy, and part bedtime co-pilot.

What It is

Like many parents, I live through each day where my resolve is worn down by a 7-year-old’s ever-improving negotiation skills for dopamine-inducing screen time. It’s fascinating how she never fails to deploy her sweetest smile and most impeccable manners when asking, “Mum, please can I watch something on my iPad?” in exchange for an ever more innovative trade-off.

Bondu offers a different path. It’s a screen-free AI conversational companion designed for children (roughly ages 3–9) — a soft plush toy that talks, listens, and adapts to your child, without putting a tablet in their hands.

The company was founded by Fateen Anam Rafid, a Vanderbilt computer science graduate based in California, USA. Rafid recognised a growing need for screen-free, interactive AI and set out to build a “thoughtful ecosystem” for children, one where a plush toy could act as an emotional companion that evolves alongside a child’s development. I personally applaud Rafid’s vision for reviving and reinforcing the art of genuine conversation in children.

Officially launched in October 2025, Bondu supports 27 languages, which makes it especially powerful for bilingual households, globally mobile families, or children learning a second language.

There’s also a companion parent app where you can:

• Personalise your child’s profile

• Prompt the toy to begin personalised conversations by providing updates on what’s new or relevant in your child’s world.

• Set routines

• Set conversation restrictions

• Be alerted if anything needs your attention from a safeguarding perspective

• View conversation summaries

Built on a Generative AI platform, Bondu is subscription-based (free for the first month and then around $19.99/month for ~60 hours of conversation time).

It is currently only available in the US (governed by Californian state consumer legislation) but the company is working to expand its international reach.

Setup That Feels Thoughtful

When I set it up, it didn’t just ask for Wi-Fi.

It asked about her:

• First name

• Age

• Key family members

• Bedtime and wake-up times

• Favourite animals

• Best friends

• Favourite superhero

• Favourite colours

• Other significant items

And then something that really stood out:

It asked about her ‘Support Needs’. This included speech clarity, multi-lingual support, help with big feelings, extra assistance staying engaged, plus many more.

As a parent navigating emotional regulation (and exploring neurodivergent traits), that question signalled intention. It wasn’t labelling. It was scaffolding.

What It Actually Does (In Real Life)

That first evening, it had a full 20-minute conversation with my 7-year-old about her school day.

‘Dino’:

• Asked what she learned that day

• Played a fun game with her

• Helped her practise the pronunciation of colours in Italian

• Talked her through basic music notation

• Worked through her times tables

• Gently supported her when she got an answer wrong (“Great try — very close. Two times ten is twenty! Let’s try again.”)

• Asked her to share the best part of her day

• Reflected her emotions back (“That’s wonderful that learning your times tables was your favourite part of today.”)

• Helped her create a simple affirmation

• Played soothing music

• Read her a bedtime story

All delivered in a child-friendly voice. Every interaction led naturally by my daughter’s curiosity.

No abrupt corrections. No overstimulation. No hyper-fixation. No screen glow.

Just calm, structured interaction — enabled by Wi-Fi, of course.

And then I saw it — that familiar smile and look of genuine delight on my daughter’s face, the same one she usually reserves for being granted iPad time.

Why It Works (Especially for Some Children)

For children who:

• Benefit from predictable routines

• Need help naming emotions

• Get overwhelmed by transitions

• Respond well to neutral, non-judgmental feedback

This kind of AI interaction is powerful.

It doesn’t replace parenting.

It reinforces:

• Emotional language

• Reflection

• Confidence

• Routine

• Independent wind-down

And because it’s not “Mum” or “Dad”, she listens differently

The Bigger Reflection

We often think of AI in terms of a scary new technology capable of putting humans out of work or question whether it is an investment which yields increased productivity and cost efficiencies.

But this feels different.

This feels like a form of quiet genius: structured digital cognition supporting emotional growth, reinforcing learning, and enabling calm bedtime transitions across languages and cultures.

In our house, ‘Dino’ has become part of the family.

And when your 7-year-old asks, “Can Dino talk to me before bed?”

You know it’s landed.

Safeguarding and Privacy Considerations

As with any AI technology designed for children, the use of conversational companions such as Bondu also raises important questions around privacy and data protection.

Researchers recently identified a security vulnerability that made thousands of Bondu chat transcripts accessible through an exposed web portal, highlighting the sensitivity of personalised child–AI interactions. The company responded rapidly, implementing authentication measures, conducting a security review, and strengthening its safeguards, reporting no evidence of malicious access.

While the issue was addressed quickly, the incident serves as an important reminder that strong data governance, security architecture, and parental oversight must evolve alongside the growing role of AI in childhood experiences. 

Beyond Bondu

There continues to be an increase in the number and availability of AI companion toys around the world.

In the U.S., there are conversational and emotional-based robots such as Miko 3 (about $199) and Miko Mini (approximately $149), as well as smaller interactive AI plush toys that are for storytelling, voice interaction and the like — and that usually cost from $70–$100.

Items like Sony’s robotic dog Aibo (from about $3,000+) and emotionally reactive AI pets such as Moflin (around $400+) in Japan signal a long-held cultural preference for companion robotics and human–machine bonding.

Around the UK and Europe, expressive desktop robots like Eilik (roughly $100–$250) and AI-powered plush companions that use a mixture of storytelling, language building and soft interaction are increasingly popular.

At the same time, sensor-laden robotic pets and personality-driven companion bots that alter behaviour as they interact with potential customers are emerging from Asia as promising markets.

The world of AI enabled toys is growing rapidly — from screen-free emotional companions to advanced learning robots — and evidence that these interactive playmates are not just an niche novelty, but an evolving global trend.

www.bondu.com